This page is dedicated to my Aunt Bessie who was married to my great-uncle John. She served in the Army during World War II.

Aunt Bessie and Uncle John lived several pastures away from us and I often visited her every day after school. While I could ask a million questions about war service, I never really talked with her about her service. I knew that she could hold her own with a rifle and loved to hunt. Many years later, after Uncle John died, she remarried and the years and distance separated us. The last time I remember hearing anything about her was a newspaper article in the Baton Rouge Advocate detailing her accomplishment of receiving her high school diploma at about age 89 or 90. She was a resident of the Louisiana War Veterans Home where she would live until she died at the age of 93. She is the only woman that I've known who served in war.

As I've conducted research for this website, I have been astonished to discover the number of women who have served our nation in many capacities ranging from actual enlistment to volunteer service.

2012 – sailor assigned to USS Ohio became the first female supply officer to qualify in US submarines

2013 – First year that women were permitted to serve on US attack submarines.

2013 - Ban lifted for women serving in combat roles

2015 – First year US Submarine Force began accepting applications for the Enlisted Women in Submarines (EWIS) Initiative.

2015 - Announcement made that all combat jobs will be open to women (no exceptions).

2015 - First Graduates from the Army Ranger School (Captain Kristen Griest, 1st Lt. Shaye Haver)

Areas of Military Service Where Women are Currently Prohibited (could change if proposed changes are accepted).

Combat Control

Special Operations Weather Technician

Combat Rescue Office,

Pararescue Special Tactics Officer

Tactical Air Control Party

Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge

Sgt. Heather Lynn Johnson became the first woman (1993) to serve and guard the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery after earning the prestigious Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge. This is a badge of the US army which honors soldiers who have been chosen to serve as members of the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Only 639 soldiers, as of January 2016 have been awarded this badge. For more information, please read additional information at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard,_Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier_Identification_Badge

Margaret Corbin – (American Revolution) During the Revolutionary War battle of Fort Washington, 1776, Margaret Corbin manned her husband’s cannon when he was killed, until she was wounded. Margaret Corbin was the first woman awarded a pension by Congress for her service and disability. She is buried in the U.S. Military Academy Cemetery at West Point.

Mary Ludwig Hays - (American Revolution) In 1778, two years after Margaret Corbin's heroic stand, Mary Ludwig Hays also kept her husband's cannon firing after he fell in the battle of Monmouth, near Freehold, N.J. Mary Hays (later McCauley), said to have been Molly Pitcher, is recognized both in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania, where she lived after the war.

Deborah Samson – First American Woman Soldier, enlisted under the name Robert Shurtliff (Continental Army). Despite being discovered to be a woman, she received an honorable discharge from George Washington.

Created in 1861, it was originally referred to as the Medal of Valor. This is the highest military honor in the United States. It is award for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty and is presented only by the President of the United States.

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker – Is the only woman who has earned the Congressional Medal of Honor as a result of her actions during the Civil War. You can obtain additional information by visiting any of the following sites:

During WWI several nurses were wounded as a result of enemy action. There were more than two hundred deaths largely caused by influenza and pneumonia, and even mustard gas exposure. The Distinguished Service Cross (second in rank only to the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration in combat) was awarded to 3 Army nurses. The Distinguished Service Medal (highest decoration in noncombat) was awarded to 23 Army nurses. In addition to other United States Army decorations, 28 Army nurses were awarded the French Croix de Guerre, 69 the British Royal Red Cross, and 2 the British Military Medal. Many Army nurses were named in British Army dispatches for their meritorious service. ​Distinguished Service Cross (World War I) - ARMY

This medal was established by the order of President Woodrow Wilson. It is the second highest military award that can be awarded in the Army.

The US Navy Cross is the second-highest military decoration for valor and nation awards, second only to Medal of Honor. Awarded primarily to members of the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Coast Guard. It is equivalent to the Army's Distinguished Service Cross.

The first woman to receive the DFC was Amelia Earhart which sparked controversy and later it was changed to exclude civilians.On December 28, 1944, the Distinguished Flying Cross was posthumously awarded to 1st Lieutenant Aleda E. Lutz. Lt. Lutz had flown over 800 hours when the C47 hospital plane evacuating wounded soldiers from the battlefront near Lyons, Italy, crashed killing all aboard.As an Army Flight Nurse she flew 196 missions evacuating over 3,500 men. She earned six battle stars and was the first military woman to die in a combat zone in World War Two. Lt. Lutz was awarded the Air Medal four times, the Oak Leaf Cluster, The Red Cross Medal, and the Purple Heart. She was the first woman awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in a World War. A VA Medical facility located in her home state of Michigan has been named after her - ironically it was built in 1950 and not so named until 1990 - the first VA facility to be named for a military woman. An Army Hospital Ship and a C-47 plane have also been named in her honor.

Vice President Richard Cheney presents the Distinguished Flying Cross for valiant flying under fire to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Lori Hill in a ceremony at Fort Campbell, Ky. on Oct. 16. U.S. Army photo. Full story at DFC

1st Lt. Mary Roberts (World War II); Nurse - Mary Roberts Wilson was the first woman to be awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in combat for her action during the battle of Anzio during World War II.

Spec. Monica Brown (Afghanistan) from the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, stands over Forward Operating Base Salerno in Khowst province, Afghanistan. Brown is the second woman since World War II to earn a Silver Star for gallantry in combat.

Two nurses were awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received when the Japanese bombed their hospital on Bataan, Rita Palmer, Hampton, New Hampshire, and Rosemary Hogan, Chattanooga, Oklahoma. Army Nurse Mary Brown Menzie received the Purple Heart as a result of injuries on Corregidor. Several other military women were awarded the Purple Heart during WWII. Over 1600 women were awarded medals including the DSM, Air Medal, DFC, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Soldiers Medal, Legion of Merit and the Purple Heart.

Jacqueline Fleck Kidd received the Purple Heart on Monday, January 14th in a ceremony at Ft. Belvoir, Davidson Air Field for injuries sustained while on duty as an Air Traffic Controller at the Pentagon Helipad on September 11th. http://ksvetsreunion.org/WomenVets.aspx

The Soldiers Medal

On March 22, 1989, Staff Sergeant Joan J. Hahnenberg, United States Army, was awarded The Soldiers Medal for heroism. On 17 November 1988, Staff Sergeant Joan Jerilynn Hahnenberg saved the life of a fellow crewmember following an accident aboard the United States Army vessel, LT-981, near Lajes Field in the Azores. Placing herself in a position of extreme peril outside the bulwark of her vessel, Staff Sergeant Hahnenberg was able to grab onto and maintain a hold on a crewmember while he was in the water. She held this position for several minutes until further assistance arrived. During this time, Sergeant Hahnenberg was in danger of being injured and tossed into the sea by the tow cable. Her prompt action, unselfish dedication and personal courage are in keeping with the highest tradition of the United States Army and the Non-commissioned Officer Corps.

On Sept. 1, 1999, Sgt. 1st Class Jeanne M. Balcombe, of the 1st Platoon, 55th Military Police Company, was posthumously awarded the Soldiers Medal for heroism in the face of danger. While on duty on Aug. 21st 1999, Balcombe's quick thinking and selfless response safeguarded and protected others at the Troop Medical Clinic at Camp Red Cloud, Korea. She placed herself in harm's way between three soldiers and an armed gunman.

On 24 January 1970 in Vietnam then SP5 Karen L. Offutt, WAC, U.S. Army, risked her life to rescue Vietnamese adults and children from burning structures. Without regard for her personal safety and in danger from smoke, flames and falling debris she repeatedly entered the buildings to rescue children who had reentered their homes. She was to have received the Soldiers Medal but instead was given a certificate and told that women do not receive the Soldiers Medal. On 7 April 2001, Karen Offutt, now a mother of 3, and grandmother of 2, was awarded The Soldiers Medal for her heroism in Vietnam of over thirty years ago. Learn more about Karen by visiting her website at Walk With Me; http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=56953

In Sharon Massachusetts a statue of Deborah Samson, who fought disguised as Robert Shirtliffe in the Continental Army, stands outside the Sharon Library. Deborah served for three years and was awarded a pension for her military service.

Phyllis Dolin of Wilton Iowa has donated a memorial to honor all women veterans of the U.S. It is in the Rock Island National Cemetery on Arsenal Island, Illinois. Each side of the stone obelisk is dedicated to various branches of the military. The side shown here reads "To Honor Women of the U.S. Air Force and Army."

Indiana

American War Mothers Memorial (World War I); Dedicated October 1, 1920; Located Garfield Park

Laura Furnace (Civil War); State Marker 998; 6 miles South of Golden Pond; US 68

Louisiana

Molly Marine: Another first in America in the feminine statue department is Molly Marine. Molly proudly stands in her Marine uniform on the corner of Canal and Elks Place in New Orleans. The statue was dedicated in 1943 during World War II. This statue was the first of a female service woman in the United States. The model for the statue was Judy Mosgrove, who still resides in New Orleans. The statue is unique in that it is made of cement. It was war-time and that was the only material available. The legend on her pedestal tells the story of what she was all about, "FREE A MARINE TO FIGHT." In 1966, a group of ex-Marines financed a beauty treatment for Molly. She received a coating of bronze and a new marble pedestal.

Ellen May Tower was the first American woman to die on foreign soil in service of this country - in the Spanish American War - and the first woman from Michigan to be honored with a military funeral. She was buried on January 17, 1899 in Byron, Michigan. Later friends and organizations raised money to place this monument on her grave. On April 28, 1899 a post office was established near the Village of Onaway where Ellen's father lived. The local folks honored Ellen May Tower by naming the town and the post office "Tower" in remembrance of her.

One of the better known attractions of Rindge, New Hampshire is the "Cathedral of the Pines" with its "Altar of the Nations" and the Memorial Bell Tower. The Cathedral is shielded only by the towering pines, the background is a magnificent view of Mount Monadnock and the rock altar is built of stones from all of the United States. It was built in memory of Lt. Sanderson Sloane who died in combat in 1944. It is recognized by the U.S. Congress and dedicated for all American war dead. The Memorial Bell Tower is the first memorial for women who sacrificed their lives for our country.

First Lt Sharon Lane was killed by hostile fire in Viet Nam. On May 29, 1973 a statue to Sharon was dedicated in front of Aultman Hospital by the William F. Cody Garrison #50 of the Army/Navy Union. This statue was built with funds raised in the community, and is one of the first Vietnam memorials constructed in the United States. In March, 1986, Aultman Hospital opened the Sharon Lane Women's Center in its main lobby; two months later, on May 26, the Canton Chapter 199 of the Vietnam Veterans of America officially became the 'Sharon Lane Chapter #199'. There are two roads named for Sharon: one in Denver, CO; the other at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. On September 12, 1995, Fort Hood, Texas dedicated the Sharon Lane Volunteer Center. A permanent display in her honor can be seen at the Ohio Society of Military History in Massillon, Ohio.

The Combined Veterans Council of Berks County is the umbrella for all the veterans organizations in Berks County, PA. In 1995, the Combined Veterans Council resolved to sponsor the Berks County Tribute to Women Veterans project. The project is in two parts. The monument, dedicated on November 7, 1999, is the physical tribute. It honors past, present and future women veterans. The history project will collect information about the women of Berks County who have served in uniform and as civilians during wartime. The purpose is to educate the community about the participation and contributions the women of Berks County have made in defense of their country.

New York State Women Veterans Memorial - A bronze sculpture symbolizing Liberty standing on the crown of England and breaking free from the bonds of colonization is the focal point of the New York State Women Veterans Memorial along Madison Avenue at the southern end of the Empire State Plaza in Albany. The statue created by Glenmont artisan Hy Rosen does not represent a woman veteran, but rather is symbolic of the spirit, strength and commitment of women to defend our nation and its principles. The statue is garbed in a gown similar to that depicted on the Statue of Liberty, as well as that worn by the symbols of Justice and Liberty that are integral parts of New York's state seal and flag.Images of women veterans from all eras of service are incorporated in two large bronze reliefs depicting the evolving history of women in military service during the past 200-plus years that will flank the statue. The history of New York's women veterans is inscribed in text on bronze tablets, as follows:

PRIDE -

New York State women have proudly served in defense of our Nation since the Revolutionary War, despite their lack of military standing before the 1900s.

They served in all major conflicts in ever increasing numbers, volunteering to preserve our freedom.

They served in expanding positions of responsibility -- from laundress and cook to administrators, from medical and technical personnel to full combatants.

New York State women contributed to establishing and maintaining our independence, preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, and advancing the cause of freedom and democracy around the world.

New York State women have proudly served in defense of our Nation since the Revolutionary War, despite their lack of military standing before the 1900s.

They served in all major conflicts in ever increasing numbers, volunteering to preserve our freedom.

They served in expanding positions of responsibility -- from laundress and cook to administrators, from medical and technical personnel to full combatants.

New York State women contributed to establishing and maintaining our independence, preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, and advancing the cause of freedom and democracy around the world.

COURAGE

In times of conflict, New York State women served the military as society permitted or as the situation demanded. The colonial revolutionary frontiers held little distinction between combatant and noncombatant.

Women came forward to replace men as battlefield emergencies demanded and some even disguised their gender in order to serve. Others masked their identity risking their lives as couriers and intelligence agents.

They served under hostile fire and were wounded or killed. Some were prisoners of war and others remained missing.

Women of the New York State military forces have performed hazardous duties in civil disturbances and natural disasters.

HONOR

New York State women have earned the highest decorations for valor and service from our State and Nation.

They have achieved the rank of General or Admiral in both State and Federal service.

The value of their contributions has finally been recognized by their ever-increasing integration and opportunities in the Armed Forces.

Congress bestowed veteran status on women who served in the military during past conflicts who had not been recognized at the time of their service.

The highest honor for New York State women veterans has been to fulfill the ultimate obligation of citizenship and the willingness to make the supreme sacrifice.

In 1782 when hostile Indians were attacking Fort Henry, Ohio, the troops ran out of gunpowder. Young Elizabeth Zane volunteered to fetch a keg of powder known to be in her brother's house sixty yards outside the gates of the fort. She walked past the Indians unnoticed and got the powder. On her return trip she ran through hostile fire and reached the fort in safety with the gunpowder. This statue is in the town of Martin's Ferry, Ohio and was raised in 1903 by the school children of Martin's Ferry.

Washington, DC - Arlington National Cemetery

A monument to Jane Delano and all of the military nurses who died during World War One stands watch over the nurses section of Arlington National Cemetery. Jane Delano was the second superintendent of Army Nurse Corps.

Women in Military Service for America - October 18, 1997, Arlington National Cemetery; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Military_Service_for_America_MemorialAlthough it is the largest and most extensive undertaking for military women, WIMSA , the Women's Memorial at the gates of Arlington National Cemetery, is not the first monument to military women or to women who have aided the military in our country's time of war. Here are some of the other statues and memorials that honor those brave women who served their country in many ways over the years since our nation began.

Gettysburghttp://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=19254​

A very BIG THANK YOUto the Weebly Team for providing an upgrade to this website for free for one year. What a wonderful way to say Thank You to our Veterans and their Families.

If you are reading this,Thank a Teacher.If you are reading this in English,Thank a Veteran.Author Unknown

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